I love to cook, experiment, try new foods and restaurants. As a coeliac this is often a little difficult. There is the converting recipes that you have used for years, to be GF friendly. Eating out somewhere new, or even with a new chef, it's either a great night or a huge pain in the belly! I hope you enjoy my recipes, stories and adventures of my life as a coeliac.

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Monday, 18 February 2013

I'm back with a funny chef story

I've taken a long break from blogging for health reasons. It's something that has always been on my mind, and I'm forever thinking of things that I can write on here!

But my health is finally in a position where I can blog again and get back to the things which I love doing, blogging and being in contact with all my readers.

My husband and I had dinner at the local pub tonight, a nice quiet evening. As most coeliacs and gluten intolerant people will know, carefully reading the menu, choosing between 2-3 different meals and asking lots of questions if the meal is gluten free is just part of eating out.

Tonight I selected a chilli prawn dish, even though it appeared to be gluten free, I asked the waitress if it had gluten. After asking the chef the waitress informed me that it did have gluten as there were tomatoes in the dish!

Yes people, that's right! Gluten in tomatoes!! I informed the waitress that there was no gluten in tomatoes. She responded by telling me that apparently some coeliacs couldn't eat tomatoes! WTF????

Sitting down waiting for the meal, I realised that people with IBS are generally advised to greatly reduce the amount of tomatoes they eat. Perhaps that is why the chef was confused or thought tomatoes had gluten in them! Either that or the chef was just ignorant to what gluten is and what foods have gluten.

Despite the warning that the tomatoes have gluten in them, over 2 hours later I'm fine, no puffer fish, no reaction, thankfully no gluten.

The meal was actually quite nice.....

Morale of the story, ask questions but empower yourself with knowledge about the foods you can eat and have faith in yourself.

2 comments:

That is funny, gluten in tomatoes!!I do find it quite hard to avoid gluten when eating out, a lot of restaurants don't even have a single gluten free dish! I just have to put up with being swollen and uncomfortable.

It's crazy isn't it Sami! If there is no gluten free options I generally go for a steak with salad and no sauce. But I've been caught out with dressing already being put on the salad! Then half an hour later the bloated n uncomfortable feeling starts!

How nice would it be if restaurants and chefs were coeliac aware and there were always GF options on the menu, and ones you could trust!